Mariano Fortuny - Untitled

The urban landscape was already a popular subject in the Middle Ages and the Modern Era, but predominantly in an idealized manner. Scenes of city life became typical themes with a more realistic interpretation starting in the 19th century. It's worth remembering how, immediately following the realist movements of the 19th century, the Impressionists also placed great emphasis on the everyday, on everyday life, with a certain predilection, however, for the frenetic pace of the city, its crowds, traffic, and typically bourgeois settings.

This work is extremely interesting in revealing an aspect of Mariano Fortuny's artistic language that complements his more academic production of historical subjects: the quick and immediate snapshot of an urban view or a characteristic landscape. In these types of paintings, the Spanish-born artist's goal is to preserve the freshness and immediacy of an open-air view through a rapid style that transcends Impressionism. Fortuny's brushstrokes are extraordinarily modern, capturing the landscape with a swift and confident stroke. Compositionally, the painting is structured around the architectural backdrops of the buildings, which stand out like masses of shadow in contrast with the light that floods the open space in the foreground. The transition from shadow to light is extraordinarily coherent, determined by subtle shifts in tone. The whiteness of the sky stands out in the background, further accentuating this excellent lighting.

Marià Fortuny i Marsal was a Spanish painter, born in Reus in 1838 and died in Rome in 1874. In Italy, he was known as Mariano Fortuny. He began his training at the Academy of Fine Arts in Barcelona, ​​and after winning a scholarship, he was able to study in Italy. In 1860, he traveled to Morocco during the Spanish-Moroccan War to paint battle scenes. His fame led him to travel throughout Europe, spending extended periods in Italy, especially Naples and Rome. Mariano Fortuny's paintings focused primarily on historical themes, reflecting a Romantic aesthetic that drew heavily on Delacroix, but also featured vibrant, bold colors inherited from his African period.

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